Jon Baer of the Philadelphia Daily News penned a sharp op-ed noting how not only did taxpayers fund the illegal bonuses alledgedly dolled out to legislative staffers for campaign work, but taxpayers also paid for attorney fees, a double whammy Baer notes:
As reported by the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review and the Associated Press, House Democrats paid more to law firms and consultants (more than $1.4 million) while under investigation than they paid in those ‘06 employee bonuses ($1.3 million) at the heart of the current scandal.
House Republicans paid $128,500 in legal fees but the investigation of them is newer, and GOP spokesman Steve Miskin says, “It will go up as the investigation proceeds . . . I dare say it’s already increased.”
Senate Republicans tell me that, so far, they have spent $260,000.
Senate Democrats didn’t return my phone call, but told the AP that they paid less than $5,000.
But remember, indicted Democratic Sen. Vince Fumo charged you more than $1.2 million in legal fees while under another investigation.
All this money’s spread to more than a dozen firms, including Ballard Spahr, Conrad O’Brien, K&L Gates (the renamed Kirkpatrick & Lockhart) and Chadwick Associates, a D.C.-based risk consulting firm.
Altogether, you so far have paid $3.03 million to defend an institution you also pay to represent you.
And I stress so far.
During just one week, Aug. 6-13, according to House documents, Democrats paid legal bills totaling $42,850 - a little less than the state’s annual median household income.
Democratic and Republican caucuses handed out $3.6 million in bonuses during 2005-06. By the time this investigation is over, they’ll hand out much more than that to lawyers and consultants.
You paid for the bonuses. You pay for the fees. You are, in other words, bitten twice.
